Tags
arugula, avocado, blueberries, melon, mono-saturated fat, Nutrition, salad, vitamins
Ok, I’m on a salad jag. What can I say? All the vegetables and fruits in the market are so beautiful, they call out to me. So why not put them together? Technically avocado is a fruit, but most of us think of it as a vegetable, so that’s how I’ll refer to it. Rich in healthful mono-saturated fat, avocados are nutrient dense, providing vitamins K, C, E folate and most of the B vitamins as well as fiber, lutein and magnesium. While we usually associate vitamin K with blood clotting, it is essential to building strong bones. Calcium cannot do it alone.
This pretty salad can serve as a first course. Or you can transform it easily into a light main-course with a sprinkling of sunflower seeds and a few tablespoons of crumbled ricotta salata, dry white goat cheese, or feta cheese. For the meat eaters out there, which includes me upon occasion, a paper-thin slice or two of prosciutto wouldn’t hurt, either. Serves 2; recipe doubles easily.
- 2 cups arugula, tough stems removed
- 1/2 cantaloupe or honeydew melon, sliced, rind removed
- 1 small avocado, peeled and sliced lengthwise
- 1/4 cup blueberries
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, Banyuls vinegar, or white wine vinegar
- 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- Arrange 1 cup of arugula on each of 2 salad plates. Decorative arrange the melon and avocado slices on top. Scatter the blueberries over the salads.
- Drizzle the lemon juice or vinegar and olive oil over the salads. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Avocado and Arugula Salad
